S1-82
Lost to Light
5:38 PM
05/03/3241
Approaching Earth's moon
Music
none
The remainder of City Hawk 723 was headed to the moon, Michael's Ghost was with them, and Eris Morn was on the comms. "It began with Crota. But Crota was only a servant of his father, sent to extinguish the last of the Light. The great battle fought for the soul of our world ended in slaughter. The son was dead. And we invited the wrath of Oryx, destroyer of Light, taker of will. Only Ascendant Hive move between Ruptures. To reach Oryx, you must walk in the dying footsteps of his son. You must become Ascendant."
5:43 PM
05/03/3241
Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
Circle of Bones
Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Phaaze
After a while of going through the Hive fortress on the moon, they arrived in the Circle of Bones. "Hold fast to Toland's journal. It saw me through my time in the dark." Eris transmitted.
"Hold fast to your guns, Guardians. You're headed to the chamber where they held Crota's soul before another Fireteam came in and killed him about a year ago."
There were a few Hive in the area, and they were killed off in seconds.
"All right, here's what needs to happen. We have to steal a chunk of Hive crystal that's still got a trace of Crota's soul so you can pass through an interdimensional portal on the Dreadnaught and kill Oryx. I leave anything out, Eris?"
"It must be done before Oryx turns his scrying eye to this realm."
"Good luck, Guardians."
Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
The World's Grave
(!) Darkness Zone (!)
A formidable group of Hive challenged the Fireteam, but were ultimately wiped out. "If a Mote of Light can allow Michael to break free from the control of Oryx, what is to say the same cannot be done for the other Taken?" Spyglass asked.
"The other Taken didn't have Light to begin with, Michael did, and he still does." Hayden-10 replied.
"{Let's just get this done so we can at least have a chance at stopping Oryx, OK?}" The temporarily Guardianless Ghost said.
"Yeah, let's do this."
As they advanced, a darkened area stood as an obstacle, but the problem was solved as the Ghosts came out to illuminate it. "{Toland's journal contains an impressive amount of data. I should probably read it.}" Michael's Ghost stated.
"Toland must have gone through a lot against the Hive, so he's probably learned so much about them in the process." Mark-18 was right about that.
"{Done. Some of this stuff is fascinating!}"
A recording of Toland was played. "A Dreadnaught shields the Hive from the Traveler's Light. Were we to pass through its deepest layers, our Light would be as a dying sun."
With that, Michael's Ghost commented on what it just heard."{I don't think Toland was much fun at parties.}"
"Yeah, I got that too." Samus agreed.
Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
Chamber of Night
(!) Darkness Zone (!)
As the Fireteam went through the sector, they came across Hive Thralls, but were completely ignored by them. The Thralls were feasting on old bones on the ground.
"Gross." Luckily, Tanner-21 didn't have a stomach.
"If the Thrall still feed, Crota's essence must endure."
"{I've always wondered what chewed through these bones. There's no microbial life here capable of decomposing organic matter. I guess the Thrall are the closest thing the moon has to flesh-eating bacteria.}"
They continued onward, and the Guardianless Ghost scanned a statue in the middle of the next room. "{Let me see if Toland's journal has anything.}"
"These stones. Always in their combat arenas. Do they have a strengthening function? Or are they mere legacy of a forgotten time and realm? The Hive never stop honing their strength. They have missed the point of being dead. Ha ha. I've heard it said that 'that which does not kill you makes you stronger', but what does this mean in the face of immortality?"
Eventually, the Fireteam made their way to a room that held large chunks of a green crystal in the center. As they approached, a Hive Ogre came out and attacked.
Samus activated her Power Suit's Scan Visor.
Scanning...
Morphology: Baxx, the Gravekeeper
Like all Hive Orges, weak spot is the forehead. Also somehow sees without eyes.
Music
Metroid: Other M - Nightmare Battle
The Ogre fired a beam from its forehead, and Tanner-21 created a Ward of Dawn to protect the Fireteam. Spyglass and Samus summoned a Golden Gun as Hayden-10 used the Shadowshot to pin the Ogre down. Six rounds of Solar Light were pumped into the abomination's face, leaving it open for Jack to use the Stormtrance, and Mark-18 to throw a Nova Bomb.
Before Sarah could summon her Golden Gun, the Ogre vanished, pulled into a rift.
Music
none
"{It's gone. I think Oryx just took an Ogre.}"
"Not even Oryx can control an Ogre, unless it's Taken. Now, quickly, find me a shard of that crystal!"
A large slab was transmatted out of the green crystal, leaving a perfect rectangular hole in it. "{We've got it.}"
"I knew it could be done. And does it still hold the whisper of Crota's soul?"
"{According to my analysis, it's empty.}" "No matter. Return to me, Guardians, and we will destro- ~static~"
"~static~ Guardians, we're losing you. Guardians, can you hear- ~static~" The signal suddenly cut out.
"{Eris? Cayde? I think we've lost them. Something's blocking our signal and our transmat.}"
Suddenly, a massive cloud of fog formed the face of Oryx, and his voice could be heard. "INFECTION! Your Light... dies... here!" Along with Taken Knights and Wizards, the Ogre returned, now under the control of Oryx.
Suddenly, another Taken rift began to form, exerting enormous amounts of power. The rift vanished, revealing the Shadow.
Music
Metroid Prime - Escape from Frigate Orpheon
"{There's too many of them! Run!}"
"It's the Shadow! We need to get out of here!"
"⊬⍜⎍ ⊑⏃⎐⟒ ⎅⟒⎎⟟⌰⟒⎅ C⍀⍜⏁⏃'⌇ g⍀⏃⎐⟒, ⏃⋏⎅ ⋏⍜⍙ ⊬⍜⎍ ⍙⟟⌰⌰ ⏃⌰⌰ ⎅⟟⟒!"
They ran, unable to be transmatted out of there.
The Shadow was in pursuit, the Darkscythe's blade dragging across the ground, tearing open a large rift, out of which more Taken emerged.
Once they got far enough, the lone Ghost tried the comms again. "{Eris, Cayde, can you hear us?! Still no connection. This must be how the Hive trapped Eris.}"
Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
The World's Grave
(!) Darkness Zone (!)
They arrived in the World's Grave, and there were Taken scattered across the room. Jack threw two Frag Grenades, blowing up the Taken and clearing the area.
The Shadow arrived in seconds, but there were no other Taken with it.
Samus brought out a Mote of Light and ran at the Shadow, forcing the spark of the Traveler's Light into the Taken General's chest, forming cracks along it as the Shadow screamed in pain. Massive amounts of energy began to build up within the Shadow, causing it to glow brighter and brighter until it became too bright to see.
Music
Doctor Who - Bad Wolf
Suddenly, the glow flashed away, leaving Michael on the ground, unconscious. "{It worked... The Mote of Light actually freed him!}"
"His vital signs are at critical levels. We must get him out of here. Now." Spyglass ordered.
Music
none
"{The Taken have locked us in. Let me check it out.}" Mark-18 let out his Ghost, watching as Mindsight scanned the nearby door. "{Doors used to be so simple... I'll search the journal.}"
"It has long been my belief that the binds which hold the gravest Hive terrors could be lifted by releasing the energy stored within their Tomb Husks."
Hayden-10 came back, holding a strange green orb of energy. "{Hey, a Tomb Husk!}" The Tomb Husk vanished as Hayden-10 brought it to the door, with the chained lock disintegrating and allowing the door to open. "{Remind me to make copies of this journal.}"
Samus picked up Michael and carried him on her back, the visor of his helmet was dimly blinking on and off, likely performing a system recovery.
There were more Taken on the other side, but were killed off. They reached the door, seeing that it was literally twice as sealed as the first one. "{Argh! They've warded it with two locks this time.}"
Spyglass and Tanner-21 went to find the Tomb Husks as Samus laid Michael down against a wall and tried to wake him up. "Michael, wake up! We're getting you out of here!" He was still out cold, as if in a coma.
"{I don't know how we're gonna wake him up, but I'm picking up traces of Taken energy within him. The Shadow's not dead yet.}"
The two came back, and they both had a Tomb Husk.
Another door opened, and there was even more Taken up ahead. More dead Taken actually.
Eris could be heard through the radio, but heavily distorted. "We're going to lose them, just like Eriana!"
"{That's Eris. The connection is getting stronger.}"
Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
Temple of Crota
(!) Darkness Zone (!)
A Tomb Husk was immediately visible, so Mark-18 picked it up. "{Better to have a Tomb Husk and not need it than to need a Tomb Husk and not have it.}"
"You're right about that, Mindsight."
The Fireteam arrived at a third door. They were nearly out of the Hive fortress. "{Three locks. Well, you can't say they aren't trying.}" Just then, one of the locks disintegrated. "Two locks actually." Right. The Tomb Husk Mark-18 picked up.
There was a closed door nearby, but it had no locks on it. "{The Fallen left their dirty fingerprints all over this door. What were they doing here? We just missed them.}" Hayden-10's Ghost stated.
Up a few stairs was another Tomb Husk, leaving only one lock.
There was one last Tomb Husk in front of the door with no locks, and the locked door opened, allowing the Fireteam to escape the fortress, but the Exo brothers stayed behind. "{Strange. I'm picking up a Fallen distress signal.}" Hayden-10 eyed his Ghost.
The voice of Eris Morn was clearing up on the comms. "Guardians? Get out of that pit! We must have that crystal or we'll never reach Oryx!" They were getting close.
After getting past more Taken, they managed to get out of the fortress. "Guardians, is that you?"
"{We made it out.}"
"Then the Taken King will fall. Bring me his dead son's crystal."
"That's how Eris says she appreciates your sacrifice. Glad you're all still alive."
"Not all of us came out. The Exo brothers went a different way, and Mark's Ghost said something about a Fallen distress signal." Jack stated.
"OK, that's odd. You know what else is unexpected? I'm picking up Michael's signal. Did it actually work?" Cayde-6 wondered.
"{The Mote of Light did its work, and Michael is free of Oryx's control, but I'm still picking up Taken traces in him. I don't think we've seen the last of the Shadow.}"
"Good to hear he's back. Now, get him back to the Tower so we can patch him up."
"What about the Exos?" Sarah asked.
"If I know Mark, he'll make sure everyone pulls through and comes home safe."
6:29 PM
05/03/3241
Planet Earth - The last City
Tower Plaza
Music
Destiny - The Tower
Once Michael was brought back to the City, he was put in the IMC's new medical center, past the staircase that lead to where the Counsel resided.
"To be brought back from being Taken..." Eris was astounded. "I never thought I'd see something like this."
An IMC medical chief looked over the unconscious Pilot with a scanner. "Michael's Ghost was right. There's still traces of the Shadow's dark energy in him."
"Wait, he's coming to!" Cayde-6 was right, Michael was finally waking up.
"Ugh... What... happened...? Where am I?" He shot up, unaware of what he's been through. "Cayde's stealth drive! And the Dreadnaught! We have to get up there and set up a transmat zone!"
"It's already been done, Michael." Zavala said.
"What?"
"Don't you remember anything?"Cayde-6 wondered.
"What do you mean?"
"You were Taken!" Samus broke it to him. "Wait... What?! Then how am I...?"
"A Mote of Light broke Oryx's control over you. You're free now." Ikora said.
"Looks as if the residual Taken energy of the Shadow is being suppressed. Might be because of the Traveler's presence. While you're in the City, the Shadow will be unable to take over again." The medical officer reported.
"What's 'the Shadow'?"
"The Shadow is what Oryx created upon taking you. It is a General of the Taken, with the power to add to his army, and to command the Taken." Eris explained.
"Whoa... OK, so how are we gonna get these traces out of me?"
Eris sighed. "I fear they are irremovable. Oryx may have lost his control over you, but his hold on your Light is unbreakable, unless the Taken King falls."
"Right, and... where are the Exo brothers?"
As if on cue, a Guardian's ship arrived, dropping off three Exos... and a Fallen Vandal in green robes. "Mark-18, what is the meaning of this?!"
"Hear me out, Ikora! Variks here is a friend. He's from the House of Judgment, which was stationed on the Reef. He helped us take down Skolas."
"Skolas posed threat to Guardians. To City. 'Kell of Kells' was no match for City Hawk 723, yes? Reef destroyed, ravaged by Taken. I fled, seeked refuge in Ketch above moon. Taken came, then Guardians. And now, I stand here."
"I've heard of you. House of Judgment, huh? You're with the one good Fallen House." Cayde-6 stated.
"If you helped some of our Guardians wipe out a threat to the City, then you have my thanks, Variks." Zavala added.
"Well, with the Shadow's essence still inside Michael, I think he should stay here in the City until we kill Oryx. I think that will cause the Shadow to just... dissipate." Hayden-10 said.
"What am I supposed to do until then?"
"I don't know." Tanner-21 shrugged. "Get to know the civilians? You guys had a few... interesting robotic entertainers on the IMS Sentinel."
Michael's childhood friends... They were alive!
"Perhaps you could introduce them to your Ghost. After all, they have been requesting to see you for a while." Spyglass offered.
Michael is free, but the Shadow still lives.
He doesn't need to go through the whole 'becoming Ascendant' thing for a couple reasons.
1: He can't leave the Traveler's protective aura, which is around the City, or else the Shadow will be able to take over again.
2: Because of the Shadow, Michael is basically already Ascendant.
Anyway, welcome home, Michael.
See you guys next time.